7.29.2016

San Diego police officer killed in shooting

Officer Jonathan "JD" DeGuzman, a 16-year police veteran, was shot multiple times during a stop.

In San Diego, a veteran police officer was shot and killed and another was injured as they tried to make a stop on Thursday night, leading to one suspect's arrest and an extensive hunt for other suspects.

Officer Jonathan "JD" DeGuzman, a 16-year-department veteran and father of two, was killed. Officer Wade Irwin, a nine-year veteran, was shot and hospitalized in serious condition, but is expected to survive.

53-year-old Jesse Michael Gomez was charged in the shootings. He was shot during the confrontation and was in critical condition at the hospital. Another man, 41-year-old Marcus Antonio Cassani, was arrested after a standoff with police and is being held as a potential second suspect.

According to police, the two officers stopped an individual around 11:00pm Thursday. Shortly after the stop -- it's unclear whether it was a pedestrian stop or vehicle stop -- they requested emergency backup. Responding officers found DeGuzman and Irwin with multiple gunshot wounds to their upper bodies.

It's not clear what prompted the gunfire, and unknown if the officers were victims of an ambush. Both officers were reportedly wearing bulletproof vests and body cameras.

"I personally worked with him when I was a lieutenant at Mid-City Division," Zimmerman said during a press conference Friday morning. "I know him, and this is gut-wrenching. He cared. He came to work every single day just wanting to make a positive difference in the lives of our community. And last night he lost his life trying to make a positive difference and trying to protect our community."

The San Diego Police Officers Association has established a fund for Officer DeGuzman's family. You can make an online donation here (make sure to indicate "Officer Jonathan DeGuzman" in the notes).